LJH

I like this on several levels: the first is how your writing has matured by leaps and bounds. The second us the pattern of the language. Not only should free poetry be just that, free, but it should also have pattern and form. Thirdly, i enjoy the images and the meaning. A poem, in my mind should have various meanings. The one that struck out was of a love lost and the yearning to b together again. The other for me was, well, the weather dang it. I thoroughly enjoyed this first thing in the morning. Now i can have my coffee. Well done mister man.

Well, I read The Beard and I must say the cooking of it was almost perfect. Oh, wait...there are two things silly about that sentence. Cooking and almost. Okay, okay. Let me explain. Dale and Cole, the political scene, their friends, are all ingredients in an uncomplicated recipe. The salad is mixed to perfection. So Cole approaches Dale to be his boyfriend during the course of the run in to the elections, elections in which Cole's father would be elected if he can garner the sympathetic vote. It has all the enthralling, angsty bits which I loved. Are they going to fall in love for real? Are they going to break up? For that answer you will have to read the full novel. I say almost because, well...I'm sorry, I wanted more. I wanted much more. Cole and Dale engaged my imagination and then it suddenly ended. I have read main stream novels that do this, I have seen movies that do this and I tell you it leaves me frustrated. However, I guess Dan has used the principle of allowing the reader to come to a decision about Dale and Cole. I know I did. Story telling should be entertaining, and The Beard entertained me on several levels. One of them being the over zealousness of Cole when he approaches Dale to be his boyfriend. Fake boyfriend might I add. The other level is when Glen and Jeremy come into the picture and to my delite, they are gay as well. Another level is the I don't know what's going to happen when Cole declares that his interest in Dale is deeper than just fake. All in all a five star story. Almost perfect. But absolutely engaging and compelling. Thank you Dan.

Happy Birthday John

Karl became a wonderful friend to me. We laughed and cried. His last words to me was that he was ready last Monday. I will truly miss you. Karl there is no more pain. You have gone to a betta place now, and like i said, you will never die in the hearts of those who love you. My deepest condolences to Daz and Liam and the rest of Karl's family.

Thoroughly gripping and compelling and emotional. Loved the ending. Makes the story worth the read. Real characters and a valuable lesson. The theme of love is apparent thruout. Cool piece. Uplifting too.

YES! A huge flippin yes on this first chapter. At first glance of the blurb and the word count i thought oh no not another long first chapter! Guess what? I ate my words as I sat glued to every flippin word. Man! This is superb writing. It is full of cut to the chase writing. Emotive. Exciting. Rivetting. Compelling. If this is the first chapter im def in for the journey or is this a one off? I hope not. The ending was fabulous and i even let out a loud sob. Beautiful work. Thank you.

Happiness is having a great birthday all the best Lisa

Yeah. Well done Libby. Participial phrases are irksome. In fiction writing characters cannot do two or three things at the same time. Also, the dreaded ING (Gerund) as in Was walking, Was dancing. Was singing construes continuous action. Writers should beware of overusage of these. They can easily be changed to the active verb, walked, danced and sang, thereby reducing the WAS. The correct way to use ING and ED is shown in your example. I dont have a problem with using the gerund at all. I do have a problem when it is repeated over and over and over again. Thanks for this article.

Happy happy Happy Birthday... to ...you poopoopidoo

I always knew he was a BEAR. HAPPY BIRTHDAY YoU RoCK BrO .

You guys are awesome. Thank you Foster, Breeze, AJ, TheRoundOne, Mr Grim, Kiltie, WhitePhoenix, Autumn Dream, Poddy, Asamvav,Menace, Slytherin and Daddydaveck. To all of you a and a and a and now how do I get you all here for dinner?

I second every word that Methodwriter has said about JWolf. I am one of his editors and it is indeed a pleasure to work with the writer. He has developed his writing skills and he just gets better and better and better gradatum. I am reading the English year and I find it unputdownable, it's one of those stories that one will read over and over again. Thumbs up for JWolf. It is a pleasure and an honour knowing you.

Thank you Steve.

I concur with Andy. When I first read this story,( pre-destruction of house) I waited patientlly for the story to continue cos it wasn't finished. I had no idea where it would go (I aint a beta reader. I suck at beta reading), and then when I got the complete copy I was like stunned and I'll tell you why. The narrative is passionately written. To me, that means the author had to dig deep to get these emotions right. I know a story works when I start chunking. This line caused the tears: "The wind whipped through my hair and dried the tears on my face as I rode my bike home when I realized that you were gone. I never thought I would lose you so quickly." The brilliance of the piece is that it spans a long period of time. I thought they'd patch things up the next day. Well, you see, that's what I would have done. But that's convention, and I was how well AJ went against convention and didn't do what was expected. If they had patched up the next day, or a week later, there wouldn't be a story to tell. These guys loved each other, not as lovers but as best friends should do. The dialogue is witness to this. There is nothing forced. The first words they speak after two years of silence is nothing short of brilliance. He also slips in little innuendo's of life. Like Bethany's brother who died in a fatal car crash. Little gasps of genius that show how we as humans percieve things. After all, this is a story of loss and grief, of discovery and renewal. It's a difficult story to write for various reasons that only AJ will know, and I feel he has taken a different slant to the normal GAY issue. Look at the POV. I won't give anything away here, but POV says it all. This story, for me, was a breath of fresh air. The writer dances to a different tune, and for that reason I loved this. That's a YES from me!

Happy Birthday LACEY wACEY

Happy Birthday Mark. Hope your day is filled with wonderful surprises.

Suddenly, life has new meaning to me. Where is Kyle? I really need to know. This short piece is so emotionally charged and hooked me and I love it. Searching for someone you love is a fine way to begin a story. I wanna know what happens next. I really hope he has survived. I don't want Kyle to be dead.

Well, Ben, if you can have Gregg and Rob as friends, patrick can have a Jeff as a friend too. I know I know, you told me before that there is more to you than what I can see, but the point is that Patrick can't see this. You don't have to prove anything to me at all (well, maybe you do). Still, patrick wanted to talk to you and you go and bring Gregg along. You may as well have invited Robb to come along to. Tut Tut. Jeff, I dunno why, but I think you are passionate in and about everything you do. Patrick knows you think he is hot, and Patrick is quite taken by your personality and your physique, not that he relies on physique, but it sure helps. I see a full moon a-rising, I see there's trouble on the way... loving this thank you R

Oh wow Tristan, you are wild! I love the coffee scene and the words on the coffee cup. You're a romantic genius you are. You should continue with Tommy's advice. You never know what's waiting for you in the next chapter, oh, wait. You do? This is your story, ag I forgot. Cameron came to visit me after he left the bar. Yup. That's right. He fropped Justin off and came to me. I'm noit a slut, Tristan, but if you can;t get it together with Cam (I love that name Cam), then, I will have to show hin the ropes. Just kidding. Well, he did visit me. We just chatted. This and that. Is he gay? Oh, you'll have to wait and see. But you carry on the way you are going and I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised. LOL Cameron, how could you arrive with Justin. You're crazy. And those deep stares between you and Tristan tug at my heartstrings. I think I will be pleasantly surprised.\ I love the dialogue. Tristan reminds me of a friend from a couple of years back. I guess that's what makes him so human. Gentkle. Caring and kind. Way to go bro. Loving every minte of this.

I loved every minute of it. In my eyes, a story is not dark or light, but important in the message it conveys. To me, this story conveys the message that time heals. Mother came back because she wanted to convey this. The message in the story is quite different. Josh brought them together in his passing. Fair anough. veryone will take a different messaqge for themselves. The most important part of this story, as I see it, is not the fact that mother wants to make amends with her son, but the friends are the most important to me. Confidants. You set the scenes up quite spectacularly, and left me with a rollercoaster of emotions. From being upset by Josh's death, to being what the fuck when he retaliates against his mother, to being all smiles and wonderment at the end. I always say that the reader must be engaged from the first word. And your writing, your characters engaged me completely. Thank you

Now this I did not expect. It's really a poem from your heart and soul and I love the way you string the words together. A guy, rejected by his parents, but not rejected by the Lord. Soory always comes too late. That's the way life is. That's the way death is. Your words lift me up, then cut like a knife, then lift me up again. A rollercoaster of a poem. Just one observation: becareful of forcing the last rhyming word in some verses. Otherwise it's bliss to read.

My boy is trying so hard to with Pete. Here's the thing corb, i know you are lonely deep down even tho you have driends who really respect you and care for you. I would love to see Pete fall in love with you, but you know what, love starts at home. You may be a looker, you may like your own personality, you might even like your friends, but do you like yourself? You can only know love if you have felt love. Sex is not love. Mike is not love. Lee is not love. Pete, on the other hand.... Jono, i get the feeling you have been a fly on my wall. Why? Well, you describe how one can be the only friend until the other becomes more popular. I have been there and i tell you it aint pleasant. Another reality you present is the one where the guy just wants to mess sround until he gets married and has kids...the consequences of which are greater than the simplicity of it. Your writing is infused with so much reality. Questions that beg for answers. Not easy. Back to my boy. If i was your dad i would hug you and tell you to do what your heart tells you to do. You r young and so many experiences lie before you. Just don't get hurt by Pete. And he is hurting you. But honestly, you are after the unnattainable. Lee has a gf. Pete has a gf mike has a gf. Makes one think why do you hit on these guys?

Cat and mouse. Who is the cat? Who is the mouse? Corbin is so distracted by Pete that he cannot do anything else but uncope. (opposit of Cope). Lee leaves opening the way for pete and Corbin to progress further into their own hell. Parties make their rationship more difficult because the parties are soooooo destructive. LOL. Winding winding winding. Pete has this thing for upsetting my boy and i really only wanna slap him dilly. It is so frustrating to watch them when all i wanna really do is pat pete on the shoulder and tell him to kiss corbin not some princess who he thinks he likes and whom i think he is using to get to my boy. All in all i really am enjoying this. Its a rollercoaster of emotions. Of hope and discovery. Of rejection and acceptance. Next

A cat!? Wow. That strikes close to home. The metaphore is clear. Pete has a mind of his own. Just like cats. So pete, you are damned curious about Corbin's sex life love life. You scratching just like a cat. The question is, do i like you? The answer is no. My boy is not to be toyed with. Why dont you toy with someone other? Hey? The thing is, i really want you to toy with my boy. God im so confused. I think its time to bring Lee back for some sanity. Next chapter

Corbin. What is the matter? Are you so lonely that you cant see the wood for the trees. If Lee is gonna get hurt you r gonna b to blame completely. You cant even concentrate at the Meetings. Ok i know your social life is important. But hellz bellz. Lee likes you. Pete is playing you and you r playing Pete and someone is gonna get hurt. The Englishman is not God you know. Jono, as you see, i am getting myself all trapped in the reader emotion zone something you do so well. This is fine writing. It engages the reader. Your characters are real, and your writing is authentic. I love the humour and the drama in this so .... Next chapter.